Erin's Parents
by Gilbert's Door
Summary: Jane and Gerald have decided to pop in to see their favourite daughter! Vlad and Erin try their best, but it doesn't take long for the slayer couple to twig that there's something not quite right about Vladimir Count...
1. Chapter 1

**_I don't know why I keep posting stories in the early hours of the morning, cause it probably results in them not being as good as they could be, but I just get really into writing them!_**

**_Set after 13/3 – slayers and vamps temporarily at peace with each other– everyone's happy for now_**

An temporary silence had settled over the school, like a spider waiting to catch a fly. That is, it would have been silent for a normal person. As Vladimir Dracula walked alone down the empty corridors however he could hear much more. The scratching of pens on paper, the muffled voices of teachers at their desks, the softly beating hearts of each breather in each room. It was another reason why he felt so odd at school. He wanted to act normally and be like any other breather, and yet he was constantly reminded of how different he was just by being around them. It was different with Erin though. Somehow, being with her reminded him that just because his life wasn't normal, didn't mean it couldn't be happy.

A loud and peeling bell echoed through the empty corridors of Garside Grange, breaking the calm and signifying the end of the lesson. A rumbling of chairs reverberated through the school, and withinseconds the halls where filled to the brim with students flitting about between their different lessons. Vlad was flattened against the wall as even more students filed out of the history class room. He scanned over the students until he spotted the flash of blonde hair he had been looking for. He grabbed Erin's arm and yanked her to the side before she got trampled by a hoard of year sevens in sports kit flying up the corridor.

Vlad shot her a grin and she returned it happily. 'The Count should really think of widening these corridors. You can barely move they're so jam packed.'

'Yeah... but I reckon Dad should probably have a look at some of the more pressing issues first. Like maybe the hole in the roof in room 15, and the hole in the floor in room 25.'

'Your sister really does need to sort out her anger issues.'

'You're telling me. Mind you, it was a disaster waiting to happen. Ingrid and power tools definitely shouldn't mix.'

'It was only a drill, I still don't understand how...'

'This is Ingrid we're talking about here remember... and she never really did like woodwork lessons very much...'

Erin smiled, running her hand along a display case as they walked together towards their science class. 'I haven't seen much of you this today. How are things?'

'Yeah, fine. I mean, dad was in a pretty bad mood this morning, but he took it out on Renfield, so it's alright,' said Vlad, moving aside to let some angry looking year eights carrying a hissing cage run past.

Erin bit her lip. 'Aw, poor Renfield.'

'Dad caught him trying on that old nightdress thing again, with matching stockings.'

Erin let out burst into laughter, and was so loud she was told to be quiet by the teacher whose lesson they'd just entered.

Vlad and Erin took their usual seat at the back of the class, conveniently as far away from the window and rays of sun as they could get, and took out their books.

'Right class!' exclaimed the bubbly Mrs Milling, bouncing about on the backs of her heals. 'Seeing as it is such a beautiful day I thought we could go and collect more samples of the bacteria we were analysing yesterday. Grab some swabs and a petri-dish from the back table and lets head on out!'

'Jesus, I swear that teacher has never had a down day,' Erin said cheerily. She then turned to Vlad, who was looking dismally at the rays of sun blazing into the room.

Vlad smiled sadly at her. 'I'd better think of a decent excuse then,' he said. He slid of the seat, grabbing his bag in one swift motion and as he went to talk to the teacher.

It was really crap, he whole 'sun light poisonous to vampires' thing. Vlad couldn't go out at lunch, or sit in the park, or even get a tan. He couldn't do P.E or eat the schools garlic bread either, but that was most definitely a good thing.

Vlad waved a quick goodbye and was gone, and Erin was left to analyse different types of leaf mould alone. Great.

Vlad walked absentmindedly through the empty corridors. Mrs Milling had been so preoccupied with handing out swabs she hadn't even noticed he'd gone. Any other kid skipping class now would go out, catch a bus into town, or just go to the shop or something.

'In your dream world,' he said to himself as he headed in the direction of the music department, from which he could hear a harmonious serenade of 'Ten Green Bottles'. He turned the corner to find a couple huddled around a map of the school and talking in very stern voices.

'No, Gerald. I think you will find that if we go back that way we will end up at the completely wrong end of the school,' said a tall woman with bushy hair.

'I know Jane,' said the short man on her right, 'I just thought...'

'Well, next time Gerald, don't!'

Vlad's intention was to walk straight on past them, but then curiosity kicked in. 'Erm, excuse me,' he said as they turned around to view the newcomer. 'Do you need any help?'

The man gave Vlad a polite smile, nodded, and then looked towards what was presumably his wife. The woman acted somewhat differently. She looked Vlad up and down, squinting slightly and frowning. Then she visibly shook her head, looked back at him and gave him a warm smile.

'Yes, young man. You wouldn't mind telling us the way to reception would you?'

'Um, well, if you head down this corridor, turn left, right, right and then down the stairs you'll...' Vlad sighed. 'Look, maybe I should just show you?'

'Oh, well, if you haven't got anything you'd rather be doing...'

'Well, obviously he hasn't or he wouldn't have offered, would he Gerald?!'

'Of course not, how silly of me...'

'Be quiet Gerald.'

'Ok, do you want to follow me then?' And they all set of down the corridor.

After about fifteen seconds of awkwardness Vlad decided to break the silence and say something.

'So,' he said, slapping a smile on his face. 'What brings you to Garside?'

Gerald opened his mouth, but his wife was far too quick for him. 'Oh, we're just in the neighbourhood for a short while. We're visiting our daughter you see. She attends this school...'

'No idea how,' said Gerald. 'I mean _we_ haven't given her any money, and it is a private school...'

'...and we thought we would come here and surprise her,' continued Jane.

'Your daughter?' Vlad asked curiously.

'Her name is Erin Nobel, perhaps she's in your year?'

Vlad stopped so quickly both Gerald and Jane walked right into him.

'By Jove, are you alright son?' said Gerald, staggering backwards.

'Oh, sorry. Yeah, I'm fine.' Vlad's brain was whirring like crazy. These were Erin's parents. And she had been brought up a slayer. Erin's parents who had brought her up as a slayer. Which meant...

'So sorry, but do you know her?' continued Jane. 'Only, we're here to see her...'

Vlad had stopped listening. Erin's parents. What if they were here to slay him? Only, wouldn't they have done that already? Did they even know there were vampires here?

'My gosh, how rude of us! Let us introduce ourselves. I am Jane Nobel, and this is my husband Gerald.'

'Oh, right. Hi.'

'And, sorry, I didn't quite catch your name.'

'Um, my name is... er...nest. Ernest Count.' So Vlad had no idea why he just lied. I mean, Jono and Mina had both promised they wouldn't reveal the Dracula's name or location to anyone, but still, the name Vladimir sounded a bit... Transylvanian.

Gerald stuck a squat arm out from under his large jacket. 'Pleased to meet you,' and he stuck out his hand.

Vlad looked down at it and then looked away. On a rather hot day like this there was no way of easily explaining why Vlad's hand was as cold as death, and these two were slayers, which made it even worse.

Gerald looked embarrassed. 'Of course, no one shakes hands anymore. It's not the hip and new thing is it? I guess you'd do more of a high five thing...'

'So, you never said. Do you know our daughter? Where would she be?'

'Um, yeah. We're quite good friends actually...'

The reception was in sight now, but Vlad's instincts to just super-speed out of there were overwhelming. These people behind him killed vampires. They would kill him if they found out he was one of them. But he couldn't deal with them, or even tell Dad, because they were Erin's parents.

'Well, here you are, the reception. Anyway, it was very nice meeting you. Ok, bye,' and Vlad turned to go.

'Oh my Vlad, watch where you're going,' said the distinctive and slightly flustered voice of Miss Macaulay who had come up behind him, blocking his exit. 'Oh, hello,' she said, spotting the Nobles behind him and switching on her welcoming smile.

'Good day,' said Jane Nobel promptly. 'My name is Jane and this,' she waved a hand casually at her husband, 'is Gerald. We're Erin Nobel's parents. Pleased to meet you,' and she shook Miss Macaulay's hand firmly.

'Oh, well, pleased to meet you. I'm the head teacher, Miss Macaulay.'

'Is there any chance of us seeing Erin?'

'Oh, well, she's in class right now, but, I could, I don't know... give you a tour while you wait?'

'Jolly good,' said Gerald, his moustache twitching.

'Can I take your coats?' asked Miss Macaulay politely.

Gerald handed over his promptly, but Jane declined the offer. 'No, no thank you.' She looked cautiously around the room, her eyes coming to rest on Vlad, before she shook her head again and looked away. 'No, I would rather keep mine.'

Jane pulled her long coat closer about her, and quick as a flash Vlad caught sight of a wooden pointy thing sticking out of an inside pocket. Ok, so she was definitely a slayer.

Vlad was slightly confused by the fact that he couldn't tell they were slayers by their scent, but then he remembered Erin telling him that there was more than one kind of stasis spray. Maybe there was one that could make slayers smell normal.

'Right, if you're all sorted then I best get going...'

'Not so fast Vlad, why don't you come along too?'

'Vlad?' said Gerald quizzically, but thankfully his wife took no notice.

'Your dad does own the school after all.'

'Really?' said Jane, walking ahead to fall in step beside Miss Macaulay.

Gerald followed, walking alongside Vlad. 'Why did she call you Vlad?'

'Um, just a nickname,' said Vlad innocently.

'Oh, of course,' Gerald said, but looked just as confused as ever, sporting a deep frown.

Jane and Miss Macaulay were talking rapidly about the schools location and standards, leaving Gerald and Vlad to follow unenthusiastically behind.

'So, know Erin, do you?'

'I met her before she came here actually, just outside the city.'

'Oh really? Erin has always had a complete mind of her own, always going her own way and ending up in the weirdest of places. I mean, we tried to get her to enlist at this slay... specialist school about a year ago, and she just drove off saying she had 'things to see'. I'm glad to see she's settled down though.'

'Yeah, the other day she said she was going out to buy some shoes and ended up locking herself in the blo... ah hum, er, wine cellar. I still don't know what she was doing in there...'

Gerald laughed heartily. 'Probably trying to slurp a quick glass of wine or two before assembly.'

Vlad was laughing until he remembered who he was talking to, and quickly stopped.

The four walked down the long corridors, and round to the other side of school. Out of the window a group of students could be seen walking towards the school from the far sports field.

'Um, Vlad...shouldn't you be in that class?' said Miss Macaulay.

'Oh, oh! I can see Erin. Erin darling!' exclaimed Jane, waving extravagantly.

Erin left the main body of the group and ran over. If Vlad had been in any other situation he would have laughed at the startled and somewhat horrified expression on her face.

Miss Macaulay and the Nobles walked down the steps out into the sunshine, but Vlad remained in the door way as Erin crossed the courtyard to meet them.

'What are you doing here!?' Erin almost shouted.

'We came to see you, m' dear!' said Gerald, leaning in for a hug before he was biffed out of the way by Erin's mother.

'How did you even know I was here?'

'Well, you know, connections through the guild... through work. Lucy's bother is an education minister, and he was able to track you down. Though why you wouldn't just tell us I will never understand...'

'But you can't just turn up here...'

'Oh come on darling,' said Gerald. 'We just wanted o see you. We've already had a look round the school, and it seems wonderful. We've met your friend Ernest...' he said pointing at Vlad.

'Ernest?' And then she followed her father's hand to the shadowed figure in the doorway, and Vlad watched as her eyes literally widened in horror.

'Vlad, come now, it's a lovely day, come outside for a while, we can take a tour around the grounds' said Miss Macaulay.

Vlad shifted awkwardly.

'No, no! Let's go inside. Like now,' and she pushed her parents quickly up the steps, with a bewildered head teacher following behind.

'Why do you keep calling him Vlad when his name is Ernest?' asked Jane.

'Ernest? Vlad is short for Vladimir,' said a confused Miss Macaulay. 'Such a lovely name, I've always thought, Vladimir Count' she said, smiling broadly. 'You know, I would forget you were Transylvanian if it weren't for that name.'

Vlad and Erin froze at the same time Jane's jaw fell dramatically, signalling that the penny had finally dropped. Gerald kept smiling broadly, unaware of the conclusion his wife had come to. Jane's beady eyes narrowed as she looked Vlad up and down, and Erin could have sworn she took a step backwards. Vlad smiled awkwardly at her, trying to look harmless. The flash of his white teeth made Jane's eyes widened larger than her daughters. Vlad stopped smiling.

'T...Transylvanian?' Jane said, stuttering over the word.

'Yes, but I bet you're glad he moved here, aren't you Erin? These two are practically joined at the hip.' Jane's eyes finally left Vlad and fell on her daughter, utterly shocked.

Jane groped the air behind her until her pointed fingers found her husband. Gerald smiled contently, rocking backwards and forwards happily.

'Look, it's not what you think...' said Vlad putting his hands up.

Jane remembered herself, and her slayer training kicked in. 'So you're telling me that you are _not_ a _VAMPIRE_!?' and quicker than rats in a blender she had whipped out a stake and was pointing it at Vlad's heart.

'Ok, so it is what you think, but I... well, I...' Jane had let go of her husband and was inching closer and closer towards Vlad, the stake still in hand.

Gerald was standing still, like a rather pink toad, mouth wide open, pointing a chubby finger between Vlad and Erin.

'Ok, ha ha ha, right!' said Miss Macaulay, obviously thinking this couple were slightly mentally deranged.

'Get behind me dear!' said Gerald, quickly grabbing the head teacher and throwing his larger frame in front of her in a protective stance. And still Jane edged nearer and nearer.

'Look mum, please! Just listen for one moment, Vlad's different...'

'I should have known immediately! The pale skin, the dark hair, the...'

'...unbelievably white teeth!' Gerald finished for her.

'Thank you Gerald!' Jane said sarcastically.

'Sorry dear.'

Erin frowned, 'don't be stupid! Miss Macaulay has the exact same complexion and...'

Gerald let out a huge gasp, then spun round, grabbing a pocket sixed stake from his pocket and pointing it at the startled woman standing behind him. 'Get back!'

'Oh for garlic's sake!' Vlad finally said. He made up his mind, seeing as they'd never be able to convince them he was human now.

Suddenly Vlad had vanished from Erin's side and was standing beside Miss Macaulay. Gerald's eyes only had enough time to widen slightly before Vlad had clicked his fingers, freezing the teacher where she stood. He then grabbed Gerald's stake, flitted to Jane and grabbed hers, and then sped back to Erin's side before he threw the wooden weapons out of the open window.

Jane let out a screech of protest when she realised what had happened and backed away quickly towards her husband, who had nearly fallen over from the force of Vlad yanking the stake out of his hand.

'You could be a bit more careful you know! These people are my parents!' Erin said, only half serious.

'Yeah, sorry, it's just when they're holding weapons that can kill me I tend to feel a little... on edge.'

Erin shrugged, and then they both turned to the petrified pair of parents standing in front of them.

'Erin,' Jane hissed forcefully. 'Get over here now!'

'Wait mum. Please? Vlad could have killed you already if he'd wanted to...' Vlad shuffled uncomfortably.

'...yes, he is a vampire. But it's not like you think. Vlad is a vampire against his will, and...'

'So he's a half fang...' said Gerald nodding with understanding.

'Er, no. His name is Vladimir Dracula...'

'Erin!' Vlad said, exasperated.

'I don't want to lie to them Vlad...'

'Dracula?' Gerald frowned, then realisation dawned and he did a little more gaping.

'The Chosen One,' Jane whispered to Gerald from the side of her mouth.

Erin rolled her eyes. 'Vampires have super hearing, remember? Plus, even I could hear that.'

Jane frowned. 'What are you doing with him Erin?'

'He must have hypnotised her, it's the only way!' said Gerald knowingly.

'That's what I was about to say Gerald!'

'Sorry dear...'

'Look, maybe we should move this, er...meeting to a more appropriate place,' Vlad said as the bell sounded for the start of lunch.

Vlad, walking at normal speed this time, edged around the couple to stand by Miss Macaulay. Erin couldn't hear exactly what he said, but in a flash of yellow eyes Miss Macaulay had turned round and was walking up the corridor with an absentminded smile on her face.

'I guess there are some perks to being a vampire,' Gerald muttered to his wife, earning a harsh glare from the pointed faced woman.

Vlad grinned at Gerald, and Gerald even started to smile back until his wife kicked him hard, muttering 'half wit!'

All the doors on the corridor were opening and kids dressed in yellow and green came spilling onto the corridor. All four of them backed against the wall of the corridor as a mass of students swarmed forward towards the lunch hall.

'Can we go somewhere else and talk this through? Please!' Erin said, talking mostly to her mother.

'I don't really know if there's much to talk about,' she said sternly.

Ignoring her, Vlad opened the door of the now empty classroom 6 and pushed them all inside. He didn't know how he could possibly get out of this one, but he had to try.

**_Hope you enjoyed. Reviews very much appreciated... I get really excited just getting one haha_**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Thank you for the lovely reviews._**

Jane clutched Gerald's arm tightly as Vlad rolled down the blinds and locked the classroom door with a click of his fingers, before coming to stand beside Erin.

'Let us go you fiend! You devil, you...'

'Oh just shut up mum!'

'And you young lady!' said Jane, storming forwards and waving a finger in Erin's face. 'I can't believe you! What are you doing associating with a _vampire_? It's probably waiting for the perfect moment to tear you to pieces!'

'It! He's not an animal you know!' Erin said, even more annoyed than Vlad at her comment.

'He may look like a boy, but I can see the evil oosing out of him like puss from a boil! You are a perversion of nature!' Jane said venomously, and quick as a flash she ripped back the blind on the window, letting the strong mid-day sun shine into the room. Vlad let out a cry as the rays of light hit him, singeing his skin and causing a haze of smoke to fill the room. Jane looked at him triumphantly, then reeled in horror as he lowered his fangs and snarled. With a click of his fingers the blind snapped shut again.

'Can you just be quiet and listen for one minute!' Vlad said, more than irritated now.

'Listen mum, Vlad and I...'

'Vlad and I!'

'Vlad and I are more than just friends. He is... my boyfriend!'

Jane looked something half way between saddened and sick. Gerald just looked confused.

'What! You don't know what you're talking about you silly girl!'

'Like mother like daughter I suppose,' said Vlad under his breath.

Gerald suddenly belted out a loud and hearty laugh, earning a thunderous look from his wife.

'Ahem. Um, Jane dear... perhaps we should hear them out? I mean, Erin is right... this boy hasn't attacked us yet, which I'm sure he would have by now if he wanted to...'

'Don't be a fool Gerald! Vampires are manipulative and twisted creatures...'

'Oh, you know what mum? If you don't like it then just go! I don't want you here anyway!'

'We are not about to leave our only daughter in a school full of freaks! Are we Gerald?'

'No dear,' he sighed.

'I'm staying right here! Being with Vlad is the closest I've ever been to actually being happy... I'm not going to leave that behind,' and she took Vlad's hand in her own and grasped it firmly as they exchanged smiles. Erin's expression turned from happiness to outrage as Jane suddenly leapt forward and pulled Erin and Vlad apart.

'Oh that's it!' Erin was seething now. 'Vlad, open that door!' she said loudly, still staring hatefully at her mother.

'Ok...' Vlad replied, looking confused as he clicked his fingers, simultaneously causing a loud click to sound from the latch. Quicker than a slug on skates Erin was pushing her mother out of the door.

'Where are you going!?' Vlad called after Erin.

'Erin you stupid girl, don't leave your father alone...' then the door shut with a slam and Vlad and Gerald were left alone.

Gerald's face remained unchanged for a good five seconds before he realised who he had been left alone with, causing him to freeze and look worriedly at Vlad from the corner of his eye.

Vlad tried not to take any notice, and to be honest he had spent enough time around Jono's slayer friends to get used to being regarded with apprehension. He sat down on a desk and put his head in one of hands. He was fed up of this. Erin and him couldn't seem to have one normal day together. If it wasn't the vampires it was the breathers, and if it wasn't the breathers it was the slayers, which had now taken the form of annoyingly shrill and judgemental parents.

Erin and Jane's silhouettes could be seen faintly through the frosted glass on the window. Vlad didn't want to tune in and listen to what they were saying, but the occasional shouted word made it through the thin classroom door from both mother and daughter, the last of which had been 'parasite' and 'Nazi'.

Gerald still looked very uncomfortable, so Vlad tried to break the silence. 'Look, I'm sorry about all this. I hate it that I'm the reason Erin's fighting with her parents...' and he trailed off with a sigh.

Gerald looked somewhat taken aback, then cleared his throat loudly. 'Well... it's not the most ideal of situations, but Erin has always been a bit rebellious. I suppose we should have expected it.'

Vlad didn't look up when Gerald finished speaking, his head still leaning on his hand.

Gerald cleared his throat again and sat down on the table opposite Vlad. 'But you know, I think even if Erin was doing everything the way Jane wanted the woman would still find something to disapprove of.'

Vlad smiled. 'She sounds like my Dad. He isn't exactly thrilled Erin and I are friends either. 'Vladimir! Do you want to get us all staked!? Throw that slayer girl out!'' he said, in a rather accurate imitation of the count.

'I'd never thought about that...' said Gerald thoughtfully, who'd forgotten that vampires had their own families too.

Vlad sat up straight and looked at the stout old man opposite him. There were glimpses of him in Erin... they had the same eyes, and the same thick hair, as well as the same rather open and warm facial expressions. For a slayer, the man didn't seem too horrible, unlike his wife...

'Um... Vladimir... we care a great deal about Erin, and we'd hate to see her hurt...'

'Oh, trust me Mr Noble, keeping Erin safe is my top priority! If she ever got hurt I don't know what I'd do...' Vlad looked across at Gerald to find him gazing quizzically at him. 'What?'

'It's just... you seem really... nice,' said Gerald, quite flummoxed.

Vlad laughed slightly. ''Sweetest Vampire in the world' she called me once,' he said absentmindedly, his tone rather glum.

'Is that a bad thing?'

Vlad raised an eyebrow at Gerald. 'For the Chosen One, the supposed leader of the Vampires? It couldn't get much worse.'

Gerald looked the young vampire up and down. He certainly didn't look like the evil and bloodthirsty Vladimir Dracula that the Guild had told them all about. They had painted the Chosen One as a wicked villain with more malice than a mouse with a machete! But he was just a teenager really.  
>'I'm supposed to want to bite slayers and instead I want to...' he trailed off, looking awkwardly at his girlfriend's father. 'Look, did you really not have a clue that there were any of my kind here?'<p>

'Not even a hunch! We just wanted to see how Erin was getting along.'

'Trying to drag her back to slayer school?'

'Well, I think that's what Jane had in mind, but... Erin's never really been that set on being a fully qualified slayer. Bit like me in that respect I suppose...'

The words 'coffin licker' drifted into the room through the frosted glass, followed immediately by 'you blunt old splinter, I hate you!'.

Gerald looked embarrassed. 'I am sorry about those two. I don't know _where_ they learnt that kind of language...'

Vlad was surprised he was even apologising. That was everyday vocabulary in his house.

'We should record this and play it back to them afterwards. Mind you, that would probably get Mrs Noble even more annoyed, and I'm not sure I want to see that vein in her temple throbbing any more than it already is...' Vlad said jokingly.

He thought he'd gone a bit too far as Gerald just stared at him. Then without any warning he opened his mouth and emitted the loudest rumble of laughter Vlad had ever heard. He himself looked perplexed for a moment, then began to laugh himself as the middle-aged man rolled about on the desk clutching his side with glee.

The door suddenly swung open.

'_What _in garlics name could yoube _laughing _ about!?' Jane hissed at them, whose face was as red and shiny as Renfield's special nail polish.

Vlad had to stop himself laughing even more as Gerald's happy expression slid of his face. It was immediately replaced with the same expression that a fly would have if it was caught in a web, or the Dracula family faced with Renfield's Bacon Butt Surprise.

'I've had enough of this,' Jane screeched at Erin. 'You young lady are coming with us, and you!' she said, pointing a prune-like claw at Vlad. 'I will be sending a squad of highly-trained slayers to deal with you as soon as possible!'

'Right!' Gerald suddenly exclaimed, jumping off the classroom table, his pot belly bouncing in time with his double chin.

'Of course I'm right Gerald! I always am.'

'No, I mean, right! That's it! I've had it! There will be no more of this nonsense Jane! Leave our daughter alone!'

Jane looked shocked simply by the fact that her husband had interrupted her. 'What are you talking about Gerald!?'

'She is perfectly capable of making her own decisions, and I think we should respect them, however...' he looked sideways at Vlad, who looked rather thrown by the whole situation, '...however radical they may be.' The spindly vampire certainly didn't look like much of a threat, especially when he looked at Erin like he did. Gerald cleared his throat loudly, not put off by the set of shocked faces looking at him. 'This young man, no matter how different he may be...'

'Different! He's a vampire! Look at him, he's...'

'Do not interrupt me Jane!' he said loudly, and his wife looked like she'd just been slapped. 'Young Dracula here looks as if he's a nice enough fellow, and I for one know it could be much worse. I mean remember her old boyfriend Jake?'

'Oy!' Erin said. 'That was three years ago... and he wasn't that bad...'

'He was so pathetic a gust of wind would of blown him over!' said Jane. 'In fact that time we went away to Kent it did...'

Gerald nodded in agreement. 'That cliff had been far too close for comfort. But anyway! At least this one can protect her Jane. And either way, whether she becomes a slayer or a stays here, she's always going to be surrounded by vampires and stake wielding slayers!'

'But Gerald...'

'No ifs! No buts! That's all there is to it!'

Gerald took a large breath and relaxed, his shoulders deflating comically. His usual look of uncertainty and confusion returned as he looked at them all apprehensively. Jane was for once lost for words.

'Wow Dad, that was... unlike you,' Erin said, going to stand beside Vlad.

'I think you've finally grown a set of fangs Gerald.' Vlad said with a cheeky grin.

Gerald tried to return his grin, but ended up just running his tongue over his teeth nervously.

'I really am happy here mum. I'll be fine. I never wanted to be a slayer, even before I met Vlad.'

Jane looked like someone had died, but before she could start another rant Gerald jumped forward, spun her around and pushed her towards the door. 'Time we were off I think!'

'Thanks Dad,' said Erin happily.

'I'm going to pay for that in the car on the way home. But hey, maybe she'll refuse to speak to me? That would be a bonus.' Gerald muttered to them as Jane walked out, almost in a daze.

Gerald took Vlad's hand and shook it firmly. 'Look after her.'

And with that the two of them were gone.

'Was that real? Did that all actually happen?' Erin said leaning on Vlad's shoulder.

'I'm just glad I wasn't staked! I thought I was a goner for a second.'

'She's a very special woman, isn't she?'

'Well, I can definitely see where you get your stubbornness, and your big mouth, and your...'

'Hey, watch it! I'm still a trained slayer remember?'

Vlad laughed and put his arm around Erin as they walked into the corridor. They watched in silence as Gerald continued to push his wife across the school playing field towards their car. Vlad looked down at Erin, nestled into the crook of his arm. They might not of been the most perfect match in the world, but he knew without doubt that his world would be a much worse place if she wasn't in it.

**_The End!_**


End file.
